Joey Chestnut gets mustard yellow belt and fiancee

Julie Walker Associated Press

Posted:
07/04/2014 05:02:30 AM MDT

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FILE - In this July 3, 2012, file photo, hot-dog eating champions Joey Chestnut, left, and Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas pose for photographers at City Hall Park in New York, during a weigh-in for contestants in the annual Coney Island Fourth of July international hot-dog eating contest. The pair aim to take the crowns again at the annual Fourth of July contest on Coney Island.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

The San Jose, California, resident fell far short of his record last year of 69 dogs and buns, but he still easily beat second-place finisher Matt Stonie, also of San Jose, who downed 56.

"Winning was the only option," the newly engaged champion said afterward. "I wasn't going to taint today with a loss."

Chestnut took a quick timeout before the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island to make it official with his longtime girlfriend, Neslie Ricasa, who is also a competitive eater.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio poses for photos with contestants for the upcoming Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot-Dog Eating Contest tomorrow Thursday, July 3, 2014, at City Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II/AP)

In the women's division, defending champion Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas lost her title to Miki Sudo.

Chestnut has won eight times in a row. In 2010, his former rival Takeru Kobayashi refused to sign an exclusive contract with Major League Eating, the food equivalent of the NFL, and was banned from competition.

This year, the Japanese native, nicknamed the Tsunami, competed against five other eaters at a separate event in Manhattan in a quest to down the most hot dogs without buns in 10 minutes. He was victorious in that bun-less eat-off, downing 113 frankfurters, an event spokeswoman said.

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